Hans von Obstfelder

Hans von Obstfelder
Von Obstfelder in 1944
Born(1886-09-06)6 September 1886
Steinbach-Hallenberg, Province of Hesse-Nassau, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Died20 December 1976(1976-12-20) (aged 90)
Bad Emstal, Hesse, West Germany
Allegiance German Empire
Weimar Republic
Nazi Germany
BranchPrussian Army
Imperial German Army
Reichswehr
German Army
Service years1905–1945
RankGeneral der Infanterie
Commands28th Infantry Division
XXIX Army Corps
LXXXVI Army Corps
1st Army
19th Army
7th Army
ConflictsWorld War I
World War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
Relations∞ 22 February 1912 Gerda Bürner; 2 daughters

Erich Günter Hans Obstfelder, as of 1922 von Obstfelder (6 September 1886 – 20 December 1976), was a German general (General of the Infantry) in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.

Life

Hans was born the son of Lutheran Superintendent Gustav Adolf Obstfelder (1847–1930) and his wife Lina, née von Ziegler (c. 1860 – 19 November 1930). He had (at least) seven siblings. Superintendent Obstfelder received the right to use the title "von Obstfelder" on 20 November 1918. His son, Captain Hans Obstfelder, received the right from the Reichswehr Ministry in December 1922 to henceforth use the family name "von Obstfelder".

"Gustav Adolf Obstfelder was born on 18 February 1847 in Gotha, the son of a farmstead manager. He attended the cathedral grammar school and studied at the universities of Erlangen, Leipzig, and Halle. He passed his first examination in Gotha. On 25 March 1873, he was ordained in the Augustinian Church in Gotha by General Superintendent Petersen. On 1 April 1873, he became the third pastor in Gotha, and after a trial sermon before the Duke, he became Ducal court preacher on 1 October 1874. However, because his duties were made very difficult by the very liberal approach of the chief court preacher, he took over the parish in Schönau an der Hörsel (near Eisenach) on 1 October 1875. [...] The local branch of the "Patriotic Women's Association of the Red Cross" was founded on 12 August 1886, by Pastor Obstfelder and affiliated with the Patriotic Women's Association in Kassel. The pastor's wife served as chairwoman, and the pastor was the secretary. The association consisted primarily of women from the upper classes and undertook tasks related to the Red Cross and poor relief. [...] On 9 December 1888, Elias Rommel and Richard Pfeffer beat the forest warden Hengelhaupt from Rotterode to death with wooden clubs near the Zion Church. Rommel's parents had already quarreled with Hengelhaupt, probably over poaching. On 24 October 1889, the murderers were beheaded in Erfurt. Pastor Obstfelder was present at the execution and offered spiritual support. [...] At the behest of his superiors, he applied for the position of senior pastor in Schmalkalden, having already served as acting superintendent since 1891. On 30 July 1892, he became senior pastor and on 19 September 1892 superintendent in Schmalkalden. Obstfelder was considered a "dashing man" and was often feared, even hated, for his strictness and straightforwardness. But he was also a good preacher and his ministry in Schmalkalden was a blessing. During his time, the interior of the town church was renovated and rededicated on 31 October 1909 (at which time the Martin Luther figure was inserted into the pillar of the nave), the cemetery church and the hospital chapel were refurbished, the upper parish church on what is now Geschwister-Scholl-Straße was built according to his designs, a children's choir was founded, and the men's church choir was transformed into a mixed choir. Obstfelder received various decorations [...] On 30 March 1919, he held his last confirmation service and farewell sermon and retired on 1 April 1919, after 47 years of service. Gustav Adolf von Obstfelder died in Schmalkalden on 12 January 1930."[1]

WWII

In September 1941, during Operation Barbarossa, the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, Obstfelder commanded the 29th Army Corps, which was among the first units of the Wehrmacht to reach Kyiv.[2]

In October 2021, against the background of official commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the Babi Yar Massacre, Obstfelder's name appeared among the 161 names of the perpetrators of that crime, released by the Babi Year Holocaust Memorial Center.[3] Obstfelder was never tried for his alleged involvement in the Babi Yar massacre.[2]

Promotions

  • 17 March 1905 Fahnenjunker (Officer Candidate)
  • 20 May 1905 Fahnenjunker-Gefreiter (Officer Candidate with Lance Corporal rank)
  • 1 August 1905 Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (Officer Candidate with Corporal/NCO/Junior Sergeant rank)
  • 18 November 1905 Fähnrich (Officer Cadet)
  • 18 August 1906 Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant) with Patent from 15 February 1905
  • 17 February 1914 Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
  • 18 June 1915 Hauptmann (Captain)
    • 1 February 1922 received Reichswehr Rank Seniority (RDA) from 18 June 1915 (8)
  • 1 February 1926 Major (5)
  • 1 June 1930 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) with effect and RDA from 1 April 1930 (13)
  • 1 March 1933 Oberst (Colonel) with RDA from 1 March 1933 (1)
  • 18 January 1936 Generalmajor (Major General) with effect and RDA from 1 January 1936 (2)
  • 23 January 1938 Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General) with effect and RDA from 1 February 1938 (3)
  • 17 June 1940 General der Infanterie (General of the Infantry) with effect and RDA from 1 June 1940 (1)

Awards and decorations

References

Citations

  1. ^ Peter Heckert: Kirche im Steinbacher Grund, 1990, pp. 94 ff.
  2. ^ a b "BASIC HISTORICAL NARRATIVE OF THE BABI YAR HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL CENTER" (PDF). Babi Yar Holocaust Memorial Center. October 2018. p. 66.
  3. ^ "80 years on: The true faces of the Babyn Yar Murders are being revealed". BYHMC. October 2021.
  4. ^ a b Thomas 1998, p. 127.
  5. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 335.
  6. ^ a b c Scherzer 2007, p. 575.

Bibliography

  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.


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